(Friday, November 13, 2009) -- Who will have the honor of helping Mayor Mufi Hannemann and First Lady Gail Mukaihata-Hannemann flip the switch to light the City Christmas Tree at the annual tree lighting ceremony on December 5?

A private equity firm that controls some of Hawai'i top hotels will become a shareholder in Hawaiian Telcom Inc. Cerberus Capital Management LP on Tuesday filed papers in U.S. Bankruptcy Court saying it acquired more than $7.6 million of Hawaiian Telcom's bank debt from from JPMorgan Chase Bank.

Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue.

Drop in Travelers Continues, Despite 11th Consecutive Month of Ticket Price Reductions

2 ACCIDENTS, 1 DEATH ON PALI HIGHWAY: The driver of this Honda Civic died and his female passenger was seriously injured last night in one of a pair of accidents that happened almost simultaneously 100 yards apart on the Pali Highway.

Hawaiian Airlines pilots have donated $15,000 for victims of recent natural disaster in American Samoa, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Hawaii's economy, which has endured rising unemployment, soaring foreclosures, mass layoffs and business shutdowns over the last 18 months, is expected to worsen before it begins turning the corner.

Editor's note: This is the third story in a three-part series honoring Big Island troops who were killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. The stories are part of the Tribune-Herald's ongoing "American Valor" series, which began Nov. 8 and continues through Dec. 31.

WAIKAPU - The current downturn in the visitor industry will end and 2010 will be a stabilizing year, members of the Maui Chamber of Commerce were told Monday morning. Speakers predicted a full-scale recovery should be in progress by 2011.

First Hawaiian Bank has appointed Robert Harrison to president and chief operating officer effective Dec. 1 as part of a realignment of senior management, the bank announced yesterday.